my dog vomits every day for the last 4 years

chickadee4March 1, 2013

My black lab has been seen by 4 vets for his daily vomiting.
Anywhere from 1a.m.to 7a.m. he would vomit bile. Over the years a large amount of mucous would also be present.
The worm test was always negative. The x-rays also were negative. I was told to give him a late feed and administer pepcid ac, an otc medication. The dog continued to vomit with one day a week where he made it through the night okay,
Recently the vomiting has increased to twice a day.
Again we left the vets office instructed to give him split feed, carafate, pepcid ac and prilosec. After ten days, the dog was still vomiting but diarrhea was now added to the problem. I also changed his diet to a low protein lowfat diet.
after two weeks on these medications not only was the vomiting worse but he had diarrhea and refusing to eat.
I stopped all meds and gave him rice with a small amount of ground beef. ( I already know not to feed him chicken) In two days time the stools went to form and he was vomiting again during the night. So the vet said to add reglan and continue with the carafate and two other otc drugs.
I protested. This medication dose was not working .
I stopped all meds and placed him back on the dog food that he enjoys eating. He is no longer having diarrhea but the vomiting continues. I googled empty stomach issues with dogs and found the same advice . In a moment of exhaustion i googled "Help , my dog vomits every day" and came across a blog that had the same problems.
I write to share what is working for my dog that vomits daily.
We did rule out obstruction, worms or cancer.
A split feed at 6, noon,6 p.m and at 10 o'clock is the best feed schedule.
I give him one tab of prisolec even though I don't think it works or did the pepcid ac.
I also give him a tabelspoon of yogurt that has probiotics in it with every meal. I also give him a tablet of probiotics that have a different variety of bacteria at each meal.
My dog has not vomited in a week. He has normal stools and sleeps through the night.
The other thing I noticed was he no longer drools or smacks his lips during the night. He use to sleep leaning on objects which the vet said he is self medicating. He is positioning himself so not to feel the acid in his stomach.

I post this cause I have been a maniac in trying to get this under control. I do know that my dog can not eat chicken so I keep his feed to one simple protein. I plan on giving him an antacid even though it never helped.
But the probiotic regimen has given him relief.
Lastly you do need to rule out other ailments before you think it is empty stomach syndrome.
Also making a dog NPO who has empty stomach syndrome is torture. They need to eat in order to move forward the acid/bile build up.
Probiotics has been the key along with a 1/2 cup of food and a handful of cooked rice at 10 p.m.
Yes it may be premature to post but we have had no vomiting since on the probiotics and my dog is running around as a happy boy.

I had a mixed lab who lived for 16 years. She vomited bile most mornings all of her life. She always did it in the same spot on a tile floor so we stopped worrying about it after the first couple of years. She was super healthy in every other way so why worry?

YES I thought that you were going to be asking what to do and I was going to suggest the exact two things, some food at night and a probiotic...HAHA!

Might I ask you to tell us what probiotic you are using? I just started my dog on a probiotic but am not sure how good it is, it is the GNC pill that I picked up at Petsmart.

There was a big long thread that I was reading about dogs throwing up in the morning and a WHOLE bunch of people suggested that they need to be fed a little bit later on in the day as they are throwing up bile at night. That's is where I learned that, plus I was reading about probiotics just yesterday and also found information that probiotics also helped with the night/early morning vomiting.

To Ryse Ryse. We had tried to stop the vomiting several times with no success. SInce the dog maintains his weight and is happy it was not a major issue. Three weeks ago the vomiting increased to two times a day with coffee emesis. The dog was no longer happy but his weight and coat remained good. I opted for treating him medicinally.
I was happy to see that the probiotic helped.
The vet was telling me to continue on the medical protocol which was reglan, prilosec, pecpcid ac , carafate and a low fat diet. It was the probiotic which gave him a short relief of the vomiting.
Yes ,some dogs do this for life and are unphased but we went to two vomiting episodes a day.
I posted the probiotics benefit in case anyone else runs into the vomiting issue.
My dog is not 100 percent better but instead of a daily vomit he is good for a few days and then a few days of vomiting. I keep a diary on his meds , feeds and his energy.
Also the carafate made him have diarrhea. I was told this could not be. I had removed the carafate and reestablished a healthy BM. The vet send to give him the carafate . SUre enough by the third dose he had explosive stools. What was even better was that I realized he was allergic to the carafate when I traveled to another state to care for a friend who broke her clavicle. I took the dog along so I could give him his feeds and take him out not knowing that the carafate was making him sick. I did learn by the end of the day that I needed to find a solution in how to remove vomit and dog poo from my car. The dog can not tolerate carafate with him refusing to eat which then caused him to vomit . Dogs with emptyy stomach must eat to stop the vomiting.
The process in making this dog better has been a learning curve. Thank god the hubby did not freak when he smelled the car. I have used vinegar, ammonia, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, club soda, dawn, borax on the accidents. I even removed the step board to the floor.
There are moments I want to throttle the vet cause the meds are not working.
I have more to post which will come in the next reponse

Having had to use probiotics after taking three weeks of antibiotics I had NAture's Bounty acidophillis in the house.
I knew this stuff worked.
I don't understand why the probiotics cost form 10 to 30 dollars a bottle.
I give my pooch yogurt and one acidophillis pill a day.
I figure the combination of the two has a longer list of probiotic organisms.
My dog still vomits. I posted after having a great week but he still vomits. I still do the split feeds, give an antiacid, and the yogurt and probiotic.
The vomit can be two hours after his night time feed. So around midnight to 1 a.m. he wakes me. A few times he wakes me with lip smacking so I am able to toss a handful of kibble to stop the emesis.
I will figure this out.
Maybe I need to give more food at night.
I have even laced his bedtime feed with rice but he still vomits.
The good thing is when he vomited on the persian silk rug, I immediately removed the bile and sprinkled baking soda on the site and it wicked all the bile . A quick vacuum pass when it was dry left me with no stain.

Resolve and Oxiclean work cause they have hydrogen peroxide in them. Hydrogen peroxide will oxidize olefin carpet making it turn a weird mustard brown. I called Toyota to find out their carpet material but no one could help so I poured 3 percent hydrogen peroxide on the carpet under neath the seat with no staining occurring.

I just want my dog to stop vomiting. He does not have "C" nor IBS nor an ulcer. He produces a lot of bile and mucous. What works for empty stomach is him having food in his stomach .
So for those with a vomiting dog one reason is that they just vomit every day.
Probiotics help but i am still researching what I should do next.
Oh and my poor car!! i am not using febreeze. I have an odor cause I still have a leftover present.
I just may sprinkle baking soda on one more area.
Hmm maybe I should put the cat in the car since she will concentrate on the spots.........
Maybe I missed a spot

I may have missed as I didn't read this thoroughly but WHY is that you don't want to feed your dog any chicken? You mentioned that you "know not to feed chicken"? Where did you get the idea that beef is better to feed than chicken is? Is your dog allergic to chicken? This is not the information that I have been told by my dog expert friends at one of my dog expert forums...HA...when a dog is having stomach issues, they feed rice and chicken and not any beef. A lot of dogs cannot handle beef. With that said, you do NOT want them to eat chicken SKIN. That's the big NO NO is the skin and fat. You would want to bake or boil some plain chicken breast with all fat and skin removed. Try that and see if it helps.

My dog had the same problem most of his early life. Bile builds up on an empty tummy, so I fed my dog small meals throughout the day to begin with, then had food out for him to eat all the time, he free fed for most of his adult life. He was not food motivated even in training. My suggestion, start simple and easy see if it works, Even giving chicken soup with some rice in it instead of hard food for the "snack times" can help. Good luck, let us know what works

Interesting case... I have seen a number of case that vomit bile like your pet at the same time of day, but it seems yours is not responding to the typical suggestions (pepcid and late feeding)... I am sure these following things have been suggested before, but you might at least think about them. the first, of course, is a scoping and biopsy.. pricey, but often diagnostic... though not always. This also brings in an internal medicine specialist into the work up, which can be invaluable often.

Two, consider an antiemetic for a week or two (Cerenia is a commonly used medication and seems to have very few down sides and is very effective)- this may not be a long term cure, but sometimes if you just stop the vomiting long enough for the stomach to 'quiet down', that in itself can help long term as well.

Some dogs with chronic vomiting have Helicobacter infections... and antibiotics can easily cure these dogs... it's a bit of a long shot as usually those dogs also have stomach ulcers, and your dog is not showing signs of an ulcer now.

Inflammatory bowel disease is often a cause of chronic vomiting (this would be diagnosed on a scoping and biopsy)- some clients cannot afford this expensive step, so go right to the treatment option and try their pet on cortisone for a while... usually response is immediate if that is what is going on... but if it's not, cortisone may temporarily make the vomiting worse (just stop it then).

Some dogs respond better to drugs like Ranitidine, Prilosec or Prevacid than to Pepcid, and maybe your dog is one of those. All are OTC, but I hesitate to give you a dose- your vet should probably be involved in trying out different medications randomly.

Either way, something is definitely wrong as vomiting daily is NOT normal in any dog or cat. And this chronic bile coming up can lead to all sorts of bad things from esophagitis, stricturing, cancer and electrolyte imbalances. Be nice to know for sure what is going on there. Good luck with whatever you do and discover.

I so appreciate the comments.
I originally posted cause I wanted the internet to have another post regarding probiotics and empty stomach syndrome.
i thought we finally got the vomiting under control but in the last 48 hours it has been difficult . The vomiting frequency is too numerous to count.
No sooner did we leave one room that he was heading to a corner to vomit again.
It is late and I will try to keep my thoughts organized.
I am working with a vet. He wants the dog on several meds even though the dog is having diarrhea and more vomiting. Something is wrong.
Labatory results are normal and negative on the stool sample.
I have kept a diary on the food fed, treats included, all the medicine and the times given, when he vomits , consistency of the emesis, and his activity level.

At one point in the last four years I made the dog food.
I fed a combination of protein , carb, veggie, fruit, vitamin and calcium supplements. I noticed when I fed my dog chicken he vomited that night. I bought chicken breasts cause they were cheaper buying bulk at Costco.
I also realized that recently when I tossed him the blueberry treats he vomited withiin 2 hours . I also spent time looking up the ingredient list on all the foods fed and see that they all contain chicken meal or a chicken by product.
The most common allergens to dogs are BEEF, CHicken, LAmb , wheat, dairy, soy and ???
I had switched to Wellness simple and he had horrible diarrhea and vomiting.
He does well on cooked rice, beef and sweet potatoes.
He also does well with all green veggies but throws up potatoes.

Most dog allergies are seen by dogs licking their paws, scratching their skin, or ear infections. My first Lab was allergic to lamb , chicken, grasses and pollen. we had her seen by an allergist and was maintained on allergy shots .
The vet and I think that the antacids should help but there is another reason for the vomiting. I do think a diet change is warranted . He tolerates the beef with no issue but it is not cheap to do a home made diet.
I have made home made food for two years. You buy in bulk freezing as much as you can stew .
I do think my dog has an empty stomach syndrome plus perhaps food allergies.
The antacids are working cause there is no bile in the vomit. The vomit is mostly mucous.
he is producing mucous or he is swallowing the mucous? My dog also had puppy strangles so perhaps the 7 months on prednisone is why his intestines are messed up. I prefer to attack this medically before we scope.
If he vomits tonight I will eliminate beef and try maybe rabbit as the protein.
I already know from previous dog food trials that LAmb and chicken are not tolerated by him. He loses it !!!!
You 'll make me think.
It helps to think outside the box.
The pepcid Ac works better than the prilosec.
he vomits the reglan. I have not figured out if he vomits from the reglan or that the time I give him the dose is the problem.
I also noticed that the more split feeds I give him the more he vomits mocous.
I will post a follow up with what has helped .
Actually considering taking him to Cornell ,NY
Thank You so much for your insight.
This is upsetting and I hate that he is vomiting more.
The good thing is he is active, romping and rolling in the snow. If he does not eat, the vomiting is out of control so NPO is the worst thing for him.
You 'll have been very helpful.

I'm really grateful for this thread. I, too, have a vomiter. Chickadee, did you see the long thread on dog vomiting that has continued for years? Here's a link:Dog Throwing Up Yellow Bile

I'm going to re-read that thread again, now that my dog is having issues. I remember that there were some really informative posts in it.

It's just exhausting. Every time I turn around, I'm cleaning up a pile of puke from one of my animals. I'm ready to just remove all the rugs. [BTW, a tip for those who do have rugs, a Bissell SpotBot can be invaluable.] Mostly, it's the worry. When you said your dog was self-medicating by leaning when he slept. Awww; broke my heart. I had an ulcer once, and it hurts.

I wonder, after reading all of the informative posts above, if my dog doesn't have several issues. I'm definitely going to get her on a probiotic regimen, do split feeding, and leave some dry food out all the time in addition to her regular food. She's been diagnosed with IBS, after an x-ray indicated a thickened intestinal wall, and was on prednisone. But the pred didn't really work the second time she went on it. No diarrhea (TG). She is a nervous Nelly. My intention was to start making homemade food with BalanceIt (balanceit.com), but I'm also now considering raw. I'm unemployed now, tho, and can't afford anything until I get a job.

I feel for ya, Chickadee, and I give you sooo much credit for your diligence.

To Betsyhac
Your post made me laugh.
My hubby also calls my boy ," the vomiter"
I did read the other link.
I strongly think that you need to treat the symptoms and approach it as trial and error. We did see many vets who all dx him as having empty stomach .
Since stopping dog food and feeding only blueberries, ground beef, rice and sweet potatoes , my dog has vomited only twice in the last four days. I no longer have the thick copious vomit. I have a minute amount of liquid with a few grains of rice. Clean up is a breeze.
I plan on introducing dairy to him next week to see if he vomits with this.
There is the thunder shirt for dogs with anxiety that I also considered to use when I leave for my chores.
He is never disturbed by thunder but gets upset when I leave.
I thought since he does vomit when I am gone that maybe he needs the shirt to comfort him. He is also is a nervous nellie

BAking soda.... It wicks liquid from tight places and then you use the vacuum .

I thank those who posted cause it forced me to think beyond IBS or gastric ulcers.
I have slept soundly the last three nights with no night time vomiting. He did vomit cause I ran late with errands. He needs to eat within 9 hours.
Thanks for the giggle. Loved the post

I always wondered what the results were for those who post on dogs with chronic vomiting. Dogs who do need to be looked at for obstruction or IBS and then Cancer.
I had switched to home food where my poor dog enjoyed 5 days of good home cooking. Protracted vomiting began on the 6th day and since he has not eaten anything. He has lost 7lbs maybe even more. I have offered him everything with no success. Cat food worked for one meal and he only took a tsp. That was vomited a few hours later. I was going to buy baby food late today .
An abdominal ultrasound was negative for his stomach thickening and no other organs were enlarged.
I began this odyseey about 8 weeks or so with the Vet telling me the good news was he doesn't have cancer......... oh but he does. He has cancer somewhere and he is on his last few days with me. HE does drink ,wag his tail, and enjoy the car trips as I run my errands.
We will have to euthanize soon . I awoke and he said not today..... but maybe tomorrow.
I could do an exploratory as requested but why. The dog refuses to eat anything and if he does he throws it up.
My guess is stomach cancer.
I only post to end this horrible nightmare. I love my dog.
I never wrote his name cause I want to keep this private.
I love my wonderful boy. He is only 7

Awww, Chickadee, I'm so very sorry. Though it's of no consolation right now, you can never say that you didn't try everything you possibly could to alleviate your boy's situation and/or cure him. I've been in your shoes many times now, and it never ever gets less painful - because we do love them so very much, and they give us so much love and loyalty in return. I've always made my decision to stop trying when they have stopped eating. For me, it seems like their way of letting me know it's time. When you feel up to it, if you haven't done so already, I recommend reading A Dog's Purpose, by W. Bruce Cameron. It wouldn't have mattered when I read it, as to whether or not I would have sobbed through it; but I did love it and I loved that it was written from the dog's point of view.

My heart aches for you. It truly does. It's been so obvious how much you love your boy, and I know how difficult it will be to say goodbye. My thoughts are with you. I'm sending a big cyberspace hug your way.

That's very sad...it maddens me as to how little help we get from our vets (and doctors for ourselves too)! It seems to have gotten to the point that the vet is just about useless. Any time we try to ask a question at a forum...everyone chimes in and says "ask your vet"...I think we get more help from a message board and that is just a sad fact!

When I asked my vet what I could do for my dogs irritated paws, I knew and told her that snow and salt from our daily park walk where the salt everything like crazy was to blame...she could not get past telling me it was most likely food allergies. I left the office being pissed off at her ignorance and the lack of help I got for something that would help her sore paws. I didn't need anyone to tell me what caused it, I needed a treatment for it.

AG:
I agree, but I finally - after thousands of dollars spent - found an intelligent, caring vet that's not in it to gouge his patients. They're out there; but sometimes, it takes a lot of looking. Mine was a referral through a rescue organization, so I always suggest going to rescue groups to get a rec.
Also, I use Musher's Secret on my dogs' paws when it's not really cold (then, I use boots). I don't use it enough to be able to give you a rec from my own personal standpoint, but you could read the recs on Amazon or elsewhere. It's worth a try. Allergies? Is that so she can charge you for all the testing?
Forums are invaluable - for me and my furry friends.

Thanks Bets...the vet I went to was a rescue recommendation from the rescue that I got her from. I've spied Musher's Secret and I am planning to get some. Right now I can't even go walking but the paws are getting better each day. I'm having to keep socks on her to keep her from licking and gnawing. I just wish this %$#@ snow would stop already! It's not like I live in Alaska for crying out loud.

AG: Sheesh. Well, so much for that idea. Keep looking, tho. I have a lot of pets, and it's such a huge relief to know that I have a great vet now. Before, if one of them got sick, I almost got sick worrying about the cost to take care of them and whether or not I'd be able to. One of my cats had dental work that cost me over $1,000!! I hear ya re Winter. So sick of it. Temps in the teens in March!!!??? I can't take it anymore. Now that I think about it more, I also read a post about a recipe for a homemade mixture made with olive oil++ to use on dogs' paws. I'll see if I can find that for you.

[Edit: hahahaha, ok I found it, but it was in a thread that you started, so I guess you've seen it]

Chickadee, I'm so sorry to hear how things are turning out for your precious boy. In hindsight, though, since it is cancer, you were able to give him comfort for quite awhile and I hope you can take some solace in that.

Today arrived.
My husband asked that we do the exploratory last night to give him more time. BY bedtime I had dosed my friend with two tabs of tramadol. This was the start of a really bumpy night. I picked him up to enjoy the comfort and smells of the bed but he could not settle and jumped off to vomit for the last time. We had to give a second dose of tramadol sooner then allowed along with a dose of ace.
I had asked for rimadyl hoping to pick it up this morning.
There is no need for the rimadyl. We all are at peace.
My husband collpased in the garage as I was gathering feed for the chickens. He finally understood . He slept on the bathroom floor with my boy . As much as he drives me crazy I have a good hubby.
I knew I would find peace once this all ended. I have done it before.
For those looking for help ...... you need to be the voice of your pet. YOu need to stand up and take control when the vet still pushes his agenda. I refused exploratory surgery cause his tongue was already showing anemia. I did not want him in pain from his illness and the surgery. I am pissed that I did not have a stronger pain med. Last night was horrific.
I found that keeping a journal of his food,medicine and activity helped me to make decisions. I cringed seeing the clock strike 5 knowing I only had the internet for comfort. It was the internet that told me about cat food and baby food to be offered if a dog refuses his food not my vet.
So a warm huge hug to those who post their troubles and woes since it lays a path for those who follow.
There is no high jacking of this thread. We are all searching for how to make the best choice. I made the best choice early this morning. I am crushed , beaten but at peace. I thank you .

To arkansas-girl........... My first dog was also a labrador retriever. She presented with chronic ear infections and ruptured eardrums. In fact our local vet told me after the third ear rupture that he can not help me. I asked who should I go see and he said "IDK". SHe also licked her paws raw and had her skin turn black along her abdomen. After many months we ended the process with her being placed on allergen shots and prednisone.

I would record your dog's food and her activiities and health history such as her skin condition, ear issues, weight gain or loss.
I would also change her diet to simple protein such as deer, bison, or rabbit feed. Do not feed her any pork, beef, chicken and turkey or lamb. The former all eat grass where the latter all eat corn. NO store bought treats ,give veggies and fresh fruit instead
I would apply A&d ointment to her paws and then place socks over them using vet wrap to hold in place.
You could even use baking soda or epsom salt washes by letting her stand in a warm pan / bucket or bathtub.
I would treat her paws as if she has a chemical burn and allergies.
When a dog has pain they lick the site...... her feet hurt.
This is not a simple fix and the allergy testing is not cheap . I would change the diet to the above mentioned.
YOu need to be diligent cause some of the above diet has potato as a starch which is also an allergen.
It sucks to have a problem and no solution.
It is maddening to be so vocal and have no one listen.
I hope what I post helps.

sugar me timbers I forgot to say that when presented with a health issue to consider all possibilities and eliminate.
My vet was adamant that we were dealing with IBS.My gut thought giardia/bacterial infection or cancer.
We went down the path treating the symptoms without going invasive. I did not think it wise to do surgery on a dog who vomits...... will he dehisce? tear open his sutures. Life is a series of choices, there is always a choice . SO ask what are your choices and you decide what you think is correct. We forget that we can say NO or agree.

Thanks for the helpful post but I know what the problem is, her paws got very irritated one day at the walking path where they had tons of salt/chemicals and since then we just can't get them healed because she wants to lick the wounds. So no it has nothing to do with food or food allergies, she is allergic to that salt chemical that they put on the park trails. I just need medication to heal them up but she licks everything we put on them so that's why we have to put socks to keep her from licking. She doesn't have any issues such as scratching anything or bad ears. Just burned feet from salt.

You can self treat but applying any vaseline product is going to be licked clean therefore an ellizabethean collar would help. Personally I hate hearing the plastic hit the walls.They do make a foam substitute but I have no idea where to buy one.
Vet wrap is a bandage that self sticks. You can find it at a horse tack shop or at grain and feed store with their medical supplies.
I would apply A& D ointment or Bag Balm to the paws then cover with a sock using the vet wrap to secure.
The vet wrap can be applied directly over the paws too but she will eat them off.

Valley vet supply .com has both pets, livestock, equine and farm products. You can get vet wrap from this internet site along with any medicinal product.
Sounds like she has a chemical burn.
Also dogs sweat via their paws . Her dressing should be aired daily.
A real lazy way to do this is apply the A&D ointment and watch her while watching tv . Per her to keep her from licking off the ointment.
Good LUck.

Hi everyone.
I read this post while my dog was throwing up at 4 am this morning !! She's been the same as the initial posting, always between 1&8 am. She's a 6 month old lhasa apso.
First it was occasionally then it became every day.
My vet prescribed pepcid (zantac) which alongside a midnight feed helped. I did however notice a definite pattern with her feed. She's been very naughty and overly aggressive for a pup of her age. Because of the link between food vomiting and aggression, 2 vets came to the conclusion of a Liver Shunt. However she did not display the other clinical symptoms, but this maybe something that some of you may want to look up. Its beconing more frequently recognised in the Uk.
The option given to me by my vet was a very expensive low protein prescribed diet.
I refused to accept this though. I put her on home
food, beef to start and oh my days ...... what a
difference !!! NO vomiting NO meds AND NO
aggression !!!! Yes she was vomiting last night because I gave her chicken. I think that has been the root of our problem, poultry, but a there's a lot to be said for bought dog food. It has really paid off home feeding her. Hope this may help some of you :-)

I wanted to send my thoughts of healing and care to you, Chickadee, for your recent loss and the way you continue to help others with the knowledge you have gained. All of you with this problem are working to help each other when your medical helpers want to throw meds and tests at you. Sometimes you have to be the investigator and keep the records that show the trends that are not immediately obvious. And we always have to be our pets' guardians and tell the "professionals" NO when things just don't seem right. You all have my utmost respect.

I received an e-mail yesterday with no way to respond to the author. The email came through under a garden web account.
My wonderful best dog in the world left me a few months back. I have been asked why he may have come down with stomach cancer.
Years ago I was reamed by the Cancer department at the Hospital I worked at for having a discussion that cancer may have genetic origins/involvement /link. I was disciplined by the Heads of the CAncer Department that there is no genetic link. Interesting what we know today.
I have had a few e-mails sent privately asking why my dog developed stomach cancer.
My wonderful dog had puppy strangles and required high doses of prednisone for 7 months. My vet insisted that we continue with the puppy immunizations even though he slept all day and was not going to meet any other dogs. With each puppy immunization we would have to increase his prednisone to manage his outbreak. 8 years ago there were no internet posts on puppy strangles but again times have changed and the internet is now loaded with how to care for puppy strangles. My dog should have never had his shots! but I did not know this.
My wonderful boy developed stomach cancer most likely due to living on prednisone for a long time.

When we had moved to Europe 20 years ago the local grocery store did not carry dog food. The locals prepared daily a meal of fresh veggies, meat, and a starch such as sweet potato or potato.

I feel that our animals are feed corn or corn feed animals thus why we are seeing a higher incident of allergies and cancer. I do not think we are suppose to be eating corn. JUst as I had the conversation that cancer may have a genetic l link I feel that no animal should be eating corn.

to Tracy:
I wish I could give you a hug.
I love my boy and miss him very much. I had asked God that winter if he could let me see Jack turn 15 , I asked him if he would let me enjoy this wonderful boy for a long time. I was pissed when his health got out of control just a few weeks after. maybe I saw signs of the impending doom and refused to concentrate on it.
I am so sorry that we share similar stories.
Lastly for those who read the post on the dog vomiting saga to demand to have a good analgesic. MAke sure you have a med to help alleviate the pain . I was lucky to still have two powerful drugs on hand from a previous dog cruciate injury .

Chickadee,
I think it's so kind of you to keep providing info here.
I still mourn my boy after 5+ years, even tho I now have two little girls. When they are such a sweet part of your life, it's hard to ever stop missing them.
I completely agree with you on the food. People feed themselves poorly and their pets even worse. Like lemmings, people blindly put up with what corporate America shoves down our throats.
I started feeding my animals raw and saw a vast improvement in both cats and dogs as far as vomiting. Unfortunately, I had to stop, bc of the cost; but am now feeding them Weruva - still so costly.
I am amazed at how lackadaisical people are about what their pets - and their kids - ingest. Nothing will change unless we collectively demand it from the food producers and stop supporting them by buying their garbage.
Next on my agenda is to truly make raw from scratch (I was using a pre-made mix to go w/the meat), but that will involve getting more equipment, as well as taking more time, and I'm short on both right now.